they are quite expensive. a nice raised patio deck? relatively inexpensive and durable. nice lil bbq, table, seating area and an awning for shade. throw some outdoor speakers etc and its a nice outdoor entertainment area.

My house? I don't know much about architecture, but it's the basic Phoenix subdivision with stucco walls and a red tile roof. Two story. Small yard.

There a nice view of my house on google earth, but that would require revealing my address....scary....

Is it like a Mediterranean style, or is it more of a Native American-esque adobe look? Or more Spanish?

Definitely not adobe or Spanish looking. It basically looks like this pic I pulled off the internet....

I'd call that fairly Mediterranean.

3-car garage... nice. Your backyard could lean toward Italian if you wanted. Maybe plant an olive tree in the corner, add in a cute little cafe table, something delicate looking (in the shade, obviously), maybe some bougainvillea?

Well, I said basically was like my house....I don't have a three car garage. In fact, take an imaginary line from the one car garage up, chop that part off, and up have a fairly accurate representation of my house.

I like those ideas, except for the bougainvillea. I despise them, and have a couple in my front yard that grow and grow and have huge frickin thorns. I hate them.

Okay, no bougainvillea ;)

I hear this guy is pretty good at designing with shrubbery:

Ha! That's funny. Can't mojo you at present or I would.

Outdoor kitchen. Of course, I wouldn't be outdoors in Phoenix in Summer if you paid me.

Shade and a mister would seem like a good idea.